I Can Get It Back

Sickened From the Cold But Soon A Certified Whole

Some part of her was aware that it was late, that she should really go to bed. But Rey remained in the hangar, staring at where the Falcon had been, unable to move. A logical part of her chided that she should not have been surprised that Ben had confessed his love to her – he had, after all, given his life for her. Not to mention his behavior in, well, any of their previous interactions, if she was being honest. But to have him just blurt it out...

She was not prepared. That was all. If she had been prepared, she would have said it back – right? That was what one was supposed to do, she was pretty sure. Especially if it was true. Which it was – it was! Of course she loved him! How could she not? He was so understanding, and gentle with her. And tall. She couldn't discount that, even if it made kissing him a bit of a challenge. But she was always good at climbing things, so she was not going to complain.

"Hey, Rey, what are you doing up here?" Rose's voice broke her out of her reverie at last. She shook her head slightly in a vain attempt to settle her thoughts, and turned to see her friend crossing the hangar toward her. The other woman was dressed in her work clothes, carrying a crate with another mechanic at her side – Riva, she was pretty sure her name was. Rose raised her eyebrows when Rey met her gaze, so her face must have been flushed – it certainly felt flushed.

"Ben just – Ben and Chewie – they left," she explained awkwardly.

"Did they?" Rey nodded numbly, and Rose waited for her to continue before changing the subject. "You know Riva, right? I used to work with her back when I was stuck behind pipes all day," Rose reminded Rey gently.

Riva smiled at her a little shyly and Rey found herself grinning back – a more conservative expression would not do. "Yes, I remember," she assured them both, nodding more than was necessary.

Obviously catching Rey's strange behavior, Rose set down the crate and leaned toward Riva. "Why don't you go get the rest? I'll be along in a minute." Riva nodded and headed back the way they had come while Rose walked over to Rey. "What's going on with you? I didn't think you had any lessons today, and we're both waiting on word from Klaud about the children."

"Ben left," was her brilliant answer.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "So you said. I thought the stormtroopers were usually brought here. Did they find a bunch of officers hiding out or something?"

Rey shook her head silently.

When she didn't say anything else, Rose folded her arms and regarded her appraisingly. "Did he tell you where he was going?"

"No."

"Hmm. Are you worried?"

Worry wasn't exactly the word she would use, but her uneasiness was plain. "He promised he'd come back," she offered.

"Naturally. And what else did he say, Rey?" Rose prompted with a growing smile, as if she knew the answer.

Was it too private a thing to tell anyone? Would Ben prefer her not to say anything? She paused, uncertain again. No one had ever told her they loved her before, as far as she could recall. Whomever her parents had been, there had been no loving goodbyes. And while her friends certainly cared for her, they weren't going to declare their feelings in such a dramatic fashion.

Rose was suddenly laughing and Rey looked at her sharply. "Oh, of course, he finally told you how he feels. What did you say?" Rose asked and Rey was thrown momentarily, wondering if she'd said her thought process out loud. Rose giggled some more at her confusion. "I mean, there really is only one thing he could have told you to make you so stunned and tongue-tied, Rey. And it's been obvious from the moment you brought him back that he's crazy about you."